Contrite Cowboy Robert Lui ready to plead for mercy

CONTROVERSIAL Cowboy Robert Lui will fly to Sydney tomorrow to launch a high-powered plea to be allowed to play again this season.

Armed with favourable reports from a psychologist and evidence of his community work in Townsville, Lui will meet Australian Rugby League Commission interim boss Shane Mattiske to try to overturn his one-year playing ban.

Cowboys chief executive Peter Jourdain and player welfare manager Kevin Marty will accompany him to the meeting.

In April, Lui was placed on a two-year good behaviour bond and fined $2000 in a Sydney court after admitting to assaulting his girlfriend Taleah Backo following Mad Monday celebrations while he was at the Wests Tigers.

The 22-year-old was handed a one-year-ban by then NRL boss David Gallop and has since been completing a rehabilitation program, which has included regular meetings with psychologist Jo Lukins.

"After going to court, I felt really ashamed and I tried to hide away from the world," Lui told The Courier-Mail.

"But I really want to apologise for what I have done and I want to say sorry to everyone.

"I know people will probably think the worst of me but there is a much better side to me.

"I have been doing everything I can in the community up here ...

"I really just want to play footy and the club wants me to play some sort of footy."

A report by Lukins, obtained by The Courier-Mail, supports Lui, stating: "Any opportunity for him (Lui) to play rugby league in some form of competitive environment would likely be beneficial to his personal rehabilitation."

The Cowboys are baffled over the league's handling of the Lui issue.

In accepting the year-long suspension, the club claims it was not told the ban applied to all levels. Jourdain also insists he received assurances from Gallop that Lui could play again this season if he completed rehabilitation programs.

"Stepping down completely from the game for the whole of the season just seems to be over the top to me," Jourdain said.

"He has already been punished by the law - which was a good behaviour bond.

"When it was first agreed that there be a suspension for the year, we certainly thought that was NRL rather than all levels.

"David Gallop at the time agreed ... he thought at some stage during the year it would be appropriate that Rob played some sort of football."